delaySAJDA a new emerging Muslim App

Posted on December 25, 2017

Millions of Muslim across the globe can now download this real-time muslim mobile app that is making an impact on Salah. delaySAJDA is a mobile-first app that is using the power of our cell phones to calculate the allowed and forbidden times of Salah. Meet the developer who is trying to change how we use technology in our daily prayers. I had the opportunity to interview the developer of Delay Sajda. Here is what he had to say.

“Scholars have agreed that there are three times during the day when we are forbidden to offer any prayers, including make up prayers. These times are: when the sun rises up until it is above the horizon by the length of a spear (~12 minutes), when the sun is at its zenith (~7 minutes) and when the bottom of the sun’s disc touches the horizon until it sets (~7 minutes). During these times, no obligatory (farz)*, essential (sunnat), optional (nafal) and missed (qaza) prayers, and no prostration (Sajda-e-Tilaawat and Sajda-e-Sahv) are permitted.”

MTR: Tell me about yourself.

Jawed: My name is Jawed Aikal, originally from Pakistan, and now residing in Central New Jersey with my wife and four children. I have a master in Software Engineering from New York Institute of Technology and I work as Applications Manager at a major law firm.

MTR: What ignited the spark in you to start the App for delaySAJDA?

Jawed: I pray just like everyone else. Sometimes on-time and sometimes late. I had a general idea, again just like everyone else, that during sunrise, sunset, and zawal (solar noon), salah (prayer) was not allowed. While sunrise and sunset for any city is usually available on our cellphones, I haven’t seen zawal time anywhere. So, I had to calculate it manually. But that’s only part of the problem. Upon further research, I discovered that there is more to it in Shariah around those three forbidden times. I devised numerous mathematical formulae to calculate these times. This was, however, cumbersome on a daily basis, to say the least. Alhamdulillah, Almighty instilled a desire in my heart to put my education and experience to some use, and build a mobile app for myself and all of my brothers and sisters in Islam.

MTR: What was your mission at the onset?

Jawed: The mission was, first and foremost, to revive a forgotten Sunnah of Prophet Muhammed Sallallahu Alaih Wasalam (Bukhari:548, Muslim:1371 and 1373). Secondly, to inspire Muslim ummah to make our salah complete by appreciating its rules, etiquette, and regulations. Thirdly, to generate a perpetual source of income to benefit various humanitarian causes in the US and around the world.

MTR: What problem are you solving and for whom?

Jawed: We all perform salah. It has specific rules and guidelines around timing. The calculations are detailed and cumbersome. Why not leverage our cellphones to calculate the allowed and forbidden times automatically for us?

MTR: How is the mobile app used?

Jawed: Simplicity is the main theme. Everyone knows traffic light signal of red, yellow and green and their notification purpose of stop, warning and go, respectively. This app uses the same universal idea. The cellphone screen will turn red when you are not allowed to pray. It will turn yellow as a warning that the forbidden time is closely approaching within 5 minutes. At other times, it will remain green, signaling that you can pray as usual.

MTR: How can our readers get their hands on the app?

Jawed: The delaySAJDA mobile app is available on both App Store and Google Play for $1. The 50% of the proceeds will go towards humanitarian causes in the USA and around the globe insha’Allah.

MTR: What’s your favorite part of this kind of work?

Jawed: The belief and understanding that every minute of my day and night while I am putting effort into this beneficial work for the ummah, it is counted as ibaadah (worship). The religion can be so easy. All we have to do is straighten up our niyyah (intentions).

MTR: How is delaySAJDA collaborating with the community?

Jawed: The feedback, suggestions, and recommendations from family and community in large have been breathtaking. Having 50-50 partnership with Allah helps me give back to the community what Allah graciously provided in the first place.

MTR: What was the most important part of your journey?

Jawed: The faith. Reciting Prophet Musa’s dua, “Rab-bishraa lee sadri, wa yassir lee amree” (Translation: O My Lord, expand for me my chest, and ease my task for me), helped me strengthen that faith. Although I work in app development, I have been in management for over a decade. I couldn’t have developed this app without His help. He has been very kind and generous. I didn’t plan it as such, but Apple published the app on the Day of Arafat, and Google published it on 12 Rabi-ul-Awwal. Is this a sign? Absolutely!

MTR: What are your future plans for delaySAJDA?

Jawed: There is always room for improvement. While mandating that the mobile app remains easy-to-use and focused, I will insha’Allah continue to enhance it with feedback from our esteemed user community.

Jawed Aikal is inspired by ibaadha and a passion to help millions of Muslims across the globe to complete their salal according to Sunnah.